There are times when a puppy may urinate in the house. It may not have anything to do with forgetting all the house training rules that you have taught. The urination may be a message from pup – a way of telling you that he/she acknowledges you as dominant. This urination is ‘dog language’.

Pup may be lacking in some self confidence and is telling you, by the urination, that you are the dominant one. It is a submissive gesture. It is not an error in housebreaking. And to scold pup when this happens would only make the situation worse. Yes – it would only make it worse. Pup already perceives you as a threat and, in dog-speak, has told you so. If you become angry and scold, it just confirms in pup’s mind that this is a precarious situation.

When you examine the situation closely, you will notice that this submissive urination happens when pup is being greeted or being scolded (or feels threatened, in some manner). It is important to distinguish that this is not forgetting the house rules. Instead, it can be an indication that pup’s sense of confidence need some work. Often, the urination is accompanied by submissive posturing – look for a tucked tail or pup rolling over and exposing its belly.

Here are some things to keep in mind in addressing this problem:

  • do not scold. Just ignore the urination. Pup does know the house rules or will soon learn them. There is something else going on here that need to be addressed.
  • avoid direct, prolonged eye contact with pup. This is interpreted as a threatening gesture.
  • greet pup in a calm fashion. Try to avoid being boisterous and excited. This may be frightening to pup. From pup position, around your ankles, you are an imposing figure, no matter what your height.
  • go down to pup’s level. This may mean that you have to be on your elbows and knees. You want to be perceived as less threatening.
  • approach pup from the side, rather than directly. If pup is coming to you, turn slightly to the side and present a side profile instead. Pup will find this less imposing.
  • when you pet pup, do so under the chin. Try to avoid patting from above – avoid patting on top of the head. Pup will interpret patting from above as a dominant gesture. Establishing dominance is not an issue. Pup already has acknowledged the order of dominance with the urination.
  • look for opportunities to tell pup how good / smart / wonderful he or she is. Praising will raise pup’s level of confidence and it is good practice for you to be positive.
  • teach pup more basic commands. As pup knows more, it will provide you with more opportunities to praise. It also provides more opportunities for pup to please you and to elicit positive responses from you. Remember, pup is training you too, while you are training pup.
  • expose pup to more people and situations. These positive experiences will increase pup’s confidence.

And, finally, remind yourself that this is just a small glitch in puppyhood – and pup is wonderful!

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster: http://flyinghamster.com/

[tag]dogs, puppies, submission, urination, house rules, dominance, self confidence, praise, socialization[/tag]